Foreign nationals need first to establish an international company in Cyprus. This is a complicated procedure that has to be done by a lawyer, who will apply for a permit from the Central Bank. When all relevant documentation is in order, the PIO will ask the Police to ensure that the applicant does not have a criminal record. At the same time, the PIO seeks the opinion of the Foreign Ministry. If approval is given, the applicant then has to complete a form, which can be obtained from the PIO or printed from our web page, and sign it before a District Court Registrar. The form must then be submitted to the PIO, which in due course will issue a permit granting the right to publish, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior. The whole procedure takes at least two months.For more information click here.

How do I become accredited as a foreign correspondent in Cyprus?

To become accredited as a foreign correspondent in Cyprus, it is necessary to submit to the PIO two passport-size photographs of yourself together with a letter from the news organisation you are working for, confirming your employment as a correspondent in Cyprus with the said organisation.

Your will also have to present your press card, a photocopy of which will be retained by the PIO. Following your accreditation by the PIO as a foreign correspondent, you will have to apply to the Migration Department for a residence permit.

How do I get a document officially translated from Greek into English (or another language) and vice versa?

The PIO undertakes translations in some 20 languages for both members of the general public as well as government Departments. More detailed information can be found here.You can also contact the Translations Department directly at: Tel.: 22801193, -133, fax: 22801288, Email: nchapeshis@pio.moi.gov.cy , efahmi@pio.moi.gov.cy

How can I join your mailing list?

You can be included in our mailing list for any of the following publications by simply sending us your name and postal address together with your request:I Kypros Mas (journal for overseas Cypriots in Greek published every four months)Cyprus Today (cultural magazine published in english every four months)

Alternatively, you can receive the aforesaid publications as well as the english news bulletins 'Cyprus Factsheet - Political Developments' and 'Cyprus Factsheet - Economy' in electronic form (pdf) by sending us your email address.

Where can I find general information about Cyprus (history, the Cyprus problem, economy, culture and more)?

You can find general information on Cyprus at the official websites of the Republic of Cyprus which listed in the “Links” section of the website of the Press and Information Office. In addition, in the section entitled “Publications” of this website you will be able to find a lot of the above information. Where can I find PIO publications?

The PIO has a number of publications available in Greek, English and a number of other languages. These can be collected in person from the PIO in Nicosia or from the diplomatic missions of the Republic abroad.

Where can I find past issues of Greek and English language newspapers and magazines published in Cyprus? Where can I obtain copies of articles in back issues?

The Press and Information Office has archives of Greek and English language newspapers published in Cyprus going back to the beginning of British rule in 1878 and available to the public for research purposes. It also has copies of mainland Greek newspapers as well as foreign newspapers and newspapers/ magazines published by Greek/Greek Cypriot communities abroad.

The newspaper archives are available either in digital format or in microfilm. The magazines are provided in the original hardcopy form.

Researchers will be charged for the digital archive €4,35 per hour of use and for the microfilms and magazines €2,00 per hour.

The charge for printing or copying is €0,26 for Α4 page size and €0,35 for Α3 page size. Students will be charged €0,09 for Α4 and €0,17 for Α3, and journalists will be charged €0,13 for Α4 and €0,18 forΑ3.

The newspaper archive of PIO is open for the public everyday between 08:00 and 14:00. Also researchers can have access to the digital archive of PIO at the Limassol Research Center everyday between 09:00 and 13:00 and between 14:00 and 17:00. Also on Saturdays between 09:00 and 12:00.

The Press and Information Office maintains a press releases archive, dating back to 1959, to which you can have access by visiting our premises.

Recently and within the framework of efforts to digitise all PIO archives, the archive of press releases is in the process of becoming digitised. The digitised archive can be accessed freely on the following website: http://www.piopressreleases.com.cy .

Furthermore, since October 2003 all PIO press releases are posted daily, by date of issue, on this website.

Although the Press Law of 1989 envisages the establishment of a Press Council and a Press Authority, the relevant provisions of the law have not been implemented.

A Press Council and a Press Authority were initially formed after the enactment of the law, but after a few sessions they ceased to function on account of strong objections put forward by the Cyprus Union of Journalists and the Publishers’ Union who withdraw their representatives from these bodies. They argued that journalism was a matter requiring self-regulation, not government involvement, while other issues pertaining to the Press were likewise their concern. This rendered the Press Council and Press Authority inoperative and various subsequent attempts to revive them failed.

As there was a real need for some kind of self-regulation of the media, the Cyprus Union of Journalists, in co-operation with the owners of the print and electronic media, approved a Code of Conduct in 1997. A committee, named the Code of Conduct for Journalists Committee, was set up entrusted with the task of overseeing the implementation of the code and dealing with complaints. The Chairman of the Committee is Mr Andreas Mavrommatis, a former Judge and former Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry.

The Committee is made up of the Chairman and 12 members. The Cyprus Union of Journalists, the Publishers Association and the owners of electronic media jointly appoint the Chairman and three members of the Committee. Three members are appointed by the Union of Journalists, three by the Publishers’ Association and three by the owners of the electronic media.

A valid decision can be taken with at least seven votes. A representative of the medium* against which a complaint has been filed, has the right to attend the proceedings and give explanations concerning a breach of the code of conduct. The Committee usually acts when a complaint is filed by any interested person, or on its own initiative, if in its opinion there is a serious breach of the code.It does not have the power to impose penalties on offenders or ask for damages to be paid, but it can publish its decisions.

For more information about the work of the Committee you can write to:Mr Andreas MavrommatisChairmanCode of Conduct for Journalists CommitteePress Centre8 Markos Drakos Avenue1102 NicosiaCyprusTel.: 22-662577 - Fax.: 22-672515E-mail:epidideo@cytanet.com.cyWebsite:http://www.cmcc.org.cy

*Since the establishment of the Cyprus Radio-Television Authority in 1998, complaints relating to radio or TV programmes or commercials can more appropriately be made to the Authority itself which has the power to enforce its decisions.

How can one film or take photographs along the cease-fire line?

Filming or taking photographs along the cease-fire line is permitted only after the relevant permit has been granted by the Ministry of Defence. TV/film crews and reporters are advised to contact the Foreign Mass Media section of the Press and Information Office by email: amiltiadou@pio.moi.gov.cy, fax: +357 22666123, or tel: +357 22801150, -175, giving all necessary information about themselves i.e. the medium they represent, the date and place of filming or photographing etc. The Foreign Mass Media section will then forward their request to the Ministry of Defence for the issuing of the permit.Is there a Radio-Television Authority in Cyprus?

Yes, there is. The Cyprus Radio-Television Authority was established in 1998. For more information about the Authority click here.

Is there anywhere I can complain about a press report or radio/TV programme or commercial?

You can write to the Code of Conduct for Journalists Committee if you have a complaint about a press report or article, at the following address:

For complaints about the content of radio or television programmes or commercials, you should write to the Cyprus Radio-Television Authority at the following address:Mr Alecos EvangelouChairmanCyprus Radio-Television AuthorityEagle Star House16 Kyriakos Matsis Avenue1082 NicosiaP.O.Box 233 77CyprusTel.: 22-512468 - Fax.: 22-512473

You can also write to the Code of Conduct for Journalists Committee above, but it should be noted that unlike the Radio-Television Authority, it has no enforcement powers.

Note: For more information about the Code of Conduct for Journalists Committee and the Cyprus Radio-Television Authority, see FAQ 9 and 10 above.